Prefastened Disposable Absorbent Articles Having a Stretch Panel

02.28.04

Patented is a prefastened disposable absorbent article with an absorbent chassis that makes up a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region that extends between and connects the waist regions. The article also has a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges and a pair of laterally opposed side edges. Also included is: at least one stretch panel, which is located in one of the waist regions of the absorbent chassis, making up a waist edge; a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges, which are located laterally beyond the side edges of the absorbent chassis and an inward edge, which is located longitudinally inward from the waist edge. A stretch panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 30% to provide a conforming fit about a wearer's waist. A pair of primary fasteners are located on laterally opposed outboard edges of the stretch panel and are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of the absorbent chassis to releasably engage the front waist region to the rear waist region. The article also includes a pair of passive side bands that are located laterally inward of the primary fasteners on one waist region and which releasably connect an overlapped portion of one waist region to an opposite waist region to assist in maintaining the absorbent article in a prefastened condition.